Refram^d exists to solve a growing challenge — how to create housing that’s adaptable, affordable, and environmentally responsible. Across regional Australia, communities need accommodation that can be built quickly, used flexibly, and leave a lighter footprint on the land.
Our mission is to reimagine temporary living through sustainable, off-grid tiny homes made from cardboard and other circular materials. These lightweight, modular structures are low-carbon, cost-effective, and quick to assemble — offering flexible accommodation where and when it’s needed most.
Reimagining Temporary
Our Story
Our story began with Peter Stutchbury’s 2004 ‘Cardboard House’, a project that showcased the potential of cardboard as a sustainable building material and challenged conventional approaches to architectural design.
Today, in partnership with Dimensions X, we've continued this vision, developing a new generation of flat-pack homes, combining recycled cardboard and other circular materials to create a sustainable temporary housing solution for regional NSW.
More than two decades after the original concept, we're committed to making sustainable, Australian-designed housing practical, accessible, and built for the future.
Our Vision
The modular, flat-pack and agile design of our cardboard home allows for application in a range of different sectors. Although we see a fit for these homes across a range of sectors (sporting events, festivals, etc.), our goal is to utilise this agility to address the critical infrastructure gaps in regional New South Wales, from agri-tourism, disaster housing and regional labour workforces. See below how these homes fit in each sector.
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Regional Australia is experiencing strong growth in agritourism and nature-based travel, creating new opportunities for landowners to diversify their income while showcasing the unique character of their properties. With the NSW Regional Visitor Economy projected to grow significantly over the coming decade, there is increasing demand for flexible, sustainable accommodation that can be delivered quickly without the high upfront costs and lengthy construction timelines associated with traditional construction methods and materials.
Designed to meet newly amended NSW ‘moveable dwelling’ standards, our Cardboard Homes provide an affordable, off-grid accommodation solution for farms, wineries, eco-retreats and other regional destinations. Optional renewable energy and water systems allow each home to operate independently, while their lightweight, flat-pack design enables rapid installation with minimal site disturbance. By providing a unique visitor accommodation at a fraction of the cost of conventional tiny homes, our homes help regional landowners unlock new revenue streams, support local tourism, and contribute to the continued growth of regional communities.
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The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters across Australia has highlighted a critical gap in temporary housing. For example, following the devastating Northern Rivers floods of 2022, more than 4,000 residents were displaced, yet existing accommodation options were unable to meet demand. A 2024 NSW Audit Office report found there was no coordinated plan for delivering temporary housing, and despite the construction of 11 temporary housing villages, hundreds of households remained on waiting lists. Traditional emergency accommodation such as tents, caravans and basic relocatable dwellings also proved inadequate, often lacking private kitchens, bathrooms and the flexibility to accommodate larger families.
Our Cardboard Homes have been developed to help bridge this gap. Flat-packed for rapid transport and assembly, they can be deployed quickly across disaster-affected regions to provide safe, secure and dignified accommodation when communities need it most. Each home can be configured with self-contained kitchen, bathroom and electrical systems, creating a practical transition between emergency shelter and permanent housing. The combination of rapid deployment, sustainability and resilience, our homes offer government agencies and emergency response organisations a scalable solution for future disaster recovery efforts.
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Major infrastructure, renewable energy, agricultural and resource projects are driving significant investment across Regional NSW, creating a growing demand for flexible workforce accommodation. Many of these projects operate in remote locations where existing housing supply is limited, placing pressure on regional communities and making it challenging for businesses to accommodate temporary workforces without significant delays and costs.
The Cardboard Home provides a scalable accommodation solution for regional industries requiring temporary housing for project-based workforces. Designed for rapid deployment and relocation, each home can be delivered to remote locations with minimal infrastructure requirements while providing comfortable, self-contained living facilities. From major construction projects and renewable energy developments to mining operations and agricultural workforces, Cardboard Homes offer a sustainable alternative to traditional workforce camps, helping regional industries grow while reducing pressure on local housing markets.